Macbeth
Unit Guide
English IV
Mr. Johnson
Name: _______________________________________________________
Period: ______
Directions
This unit guide is intended to guide you along the process of reading William Shakespeare’s
Macbeth. As you go along in the text, the questions below will challenge your
comprehension and critical thinking associated with reading the novel.
Please annotate and make notes to improve your close reading of the text—this includes
the questions below and any examples of theme, motif, or symbol. All of the questions
asked of you below should be typed into a new document and turned in on the deadlines
associated. The entire completed guide will be due the last day of the unit.
As you read the text, annotate your text for the following themes:
 Things are not what they seem
 Blind ambition
 Power corrupts
 Superstition affects human behavior
Reading and Writing Breakdown
Act 1: October 25, 28, and 29
Act 2: October 29, 30, and November 1
Act 3: November 4, 5, and 6
Act 4: November 11, 12, and 13
Act 5: November 13, 14, and 15
PROJECT 1 DUE: November 7/8
PROJECT 2 DUE: November 18/19
PROJECT 3 DUE: December 2/3
PAPER DUE: November 25
Characters
Macbeth:
Lady Macbeth:
Banquo:
Fleance:
Duncan:
Malcolm:
Scottish general ambitious enough to commit regicide to become king
His wife; ambitious; later remorseful
General, murdered by hired killers
Banquo's son
King of Scotland
Eldest son of Duncan, Prince of Cumberland
Donalbain:
Youngest son of Duncan
Macduff:
General, dedicated to the good of Scotland
Ross:
Cousin to Macduff
Lennox:
Nobleman, loyal to Duncan
Seyton:
Lieutenant to Macbeth
Siward:
English Earl, supporter of Malcolm
Young Siward: Bravely faces Macbeth though he is killed in battle
Three Witches: Predict Macbeth's ambitions will soon come true; later predict his downfall
RELATIONSHIPS
Macbeth's supporters:
 Macbeth—Scottish general; ambitious enough to commit regicide to become
king
 Lady Macbeth—His wife; ambitious; convinces Macbeth to perform the murder;
later remorseful.
 Seyton—Lieutenant to Macbeth
Neutral:
 Three witches—Predict Macbeth's ambitions will soon come true; later predict
his downfall
Duncan's supporters:
 Duncan—King of Scotland; his murder by Macbeth is the first in a series of many
murders
 Malcolm—Eldest son of Duncan; heir to the throne of Scotland; flees to England
after Duncan's murder; becomes king at end of the play
 Donalbain—Youngest son of Duncan; flees to Ireland after Duncan's murder
 Lennox—Nobleman, loyal to Duncan
 Siward—English Earl; supporter of Malcolm
 Young Siward—Bravely faced Macbeth though he is killed in battle
 Banquo—General; witches predict his offspring will become kings; murdered by
Macbeth's hired killers
 Fleance—Banquo's son; escapes murder by Macbeth's hired killers
 Macduff—General; discovers Duncan's body; becomes suspicious of Macbeth
and joins forces with Malcolm; slays Macbeth and proclaims Malcolm
 Ross—Cousin to Macduff
Literary Devices
Shakespeare used literary devices he knew his Renaissance audience would appreciate.
Allusions—Shakespeare used both mythological and Biblical allusions. For example, the
sergeant compares a bloody scene of death on the battlefield to Golgotha which is the place
of Christ's death in the New Testament (I,ii.).
One of the mythological allusions is Macduff's comparing the dead Duncan to a Gorgon of
Greek mythology which could turn a person to stone because of the terror evoked (II,iii).
Figurative Language—Shakespeare's mastery of language is exemplified through his use of
imagery such as similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, and symbols. To help
students understand these, discuss the word pictures Shakespeare paints. Because
Shakespeare's pictures are so vivid, you might be able to illustrate them with drawings or
collages.
Similes:
(Flower imagery)
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it. (I,v)
(Disguise)
Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters. (I,v)
Metaphors:
(Planting imagery)
I have begun to plant thee, and will labor
To make thee full of growing. (I,iv)
(Clothing imagery)
Why do you dress me
In borrowed robes? (I,iii)
Personification:
If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir (I,iii)
Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? (I,vii)
Alliteration:
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears. (III, iv)
Symbol:
The presence of birds is one aspect of nature which symbolizes the theme of
superstitions/omens. When Duncan and Banquo note that Macbeth's castle enjoys
the good omen of nesting martlets, the audience already realizes the danger Duncan
will be facing if he spends the night at Inverness (I,v). Therefore, the "fair" omen is
to become "foul."
 Water/washing ("A little water clears us of this deed," II,ii)




Blood ("Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?
II,ii)
Weather ("Hover through the fog and filthy air," I,i)
Clothing ("borrowed robes" worn by the Thane of Cawdor, (I,iii)
Sleep ("Not so sick, my lord, as she is troubled with thick-coming fancies that
keep her from her rest," V,iii).
Foreshadowing—Macbeth provides an excellent opportunity for understanding the literary
device of foreshadowing.
The witches set the tone in Act I, scene 1 with a storm and predictions that Macbeth's life
will become so confused he will find it difficult to differentiate between right and wrong
(fair and foul), and their later predictions foreshadow a downfall the audience is aware of
long before Macbeth is willing to accept their implications.
Dramatic Irony—Shakespeare's audience enjoyed being informed of events before the
characters were aware of the implications. The example given above of Macbeth's lack of
awareness of his new title, Thane of Cawdor, is a good illustration. Another is Duncan
commenting on the pleasantness of Macbeth's castle while the audience knows the
Macbeths have just planned his murder to take place there that very night (I,vi.).
The most powerful examples of dramatic irony include Macbeth's acceptance of the
apparitions' seeming assurances that no man "of woman born shall harm Macbeth" and
that he is safe until Birnam Woods move. Macbeth continues to feel confident of his safety
even though the audience, through dramatic irony, has seen the equivocations of the
witches long before Macbeth realizes them.
Language
Blank Verse—Except for a few scenes, Macbeth is written in blank verse, which resembles
more than any other verse form the natural rhythm of spoken English.
I am afraid to think what I have done (II,ii)
Play with the rhythm by reciting lines chorally or individually.
Varying the Verse—Students may understand the play better when they recognize how
Shakespeare varies the verse to express meaning. For example, the language of the witches
is in a choppier form of verse (IV,i), and the tension of the language used by Lady Macbeth
during her famous sleepwalking scene (V,i) provides an interesting contrast to the more
natural flow of rhythm in blank verse used in the greater part of the play.
Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One:
two: why, then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky.
Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeared? What need
we fear who knows it, when none can call our
pow'r to accompt? (V,i)
Rhymed Couplet—The end rhyme of the rhymed couplet was used to indicate the end of a
scene to an audience in a theater without curtains. For example:
Away, and mock the time with fairest show:
False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (I,vii)
Look through the play to find other examples.
Diction—Consider Shakespeare's diction which is so masterfully displayed in Macbeth. For
example, Lady Macbeth says:
Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One:
two: why, then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. (V,i)
The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is
she now? What, will these hands ne'er be clean? No
more o' that, my lord, no more o' that! You mar
all with this starting. (V,i)
Annotations
Responding to Theme—List recurring themes (things are not what they seem, the
corruption of power, blind ambition, superstition and its effects on human behavior) that
develop as you read. Add notations of act and scene to serve as a guide for later reflection
and writing.
Imagery and Theme—Shakespeare's use of imagery develops many themes, list these as
they appear in the play. For example, the use of clothing begins with "borrowed robes" (I,ii)
and continues with clothing representing a disguise of"false face" (I,vii) being repeated
many times. Other examples include: flowers/planting, omens and unnatural events
(superstitions), darkness, water/cleansing, blood, weather, and sleep/death.
Macbeth Projects
The class will be divided into three large groups. The number of your group pertains to
which of the three major projects are due for each due date:
Group 1 - Visual (Nov. 7/8), Creative Writing (Nov. 18/19), Dramatic (Dec. 2/3)
Group 2 – Creative Writing (Nov. 7/8), Dramatic (Nov. 18/19), Visual (Dec. 2/3)
Group 3 – Dramatic (Nov. 7/8), Visual (Nov. 18/19), Creative Writing (Dec. 2/3)
For each project, try to focus on the beginning, middle, and end of the play, respectively:
Project #1: I.1-II.3
Project #2: II.3-IV.1
Project #3: IV.1-V.8
Consider the following options for each of your projects:
Visual Project
 Decorative Timeline – Must list at least twelve plot events. Quotes from the text and
illustrations are encouraged.
 Theatrical Ad or Poster of a dramatic performance
 Board Game or Map of Macbethian Scotland
 3D Display or interpretive illustration of a scene
 Artistic Interpretation – Implement any form of visual art (e.g. sculpture, painting,
stylistic illustration) to interpret the emotions, symbols, or deeper meanings of the
play.
 PowerPoint slideshow or instructional tool
 Storyboard or Theatre Design of costumes and/or set
 Any visual conglomeration that depicts the emotions of the play (e.g. collage, flower
arrangement, collection of household items)
Creative Writing Project
 “What If…” script of a turn of events in the story
 Adaptation of a scene in a different historical period
 Love or Hate Letter between lovers or sworn enemies 7Medieval” newspaper or
magazine article
 Tourist manual or pamphlet for traveling to Scotland during Macbeth’s era
 Hypothetical backstory narrative (e.g. young Macbeth)
 Poem by Macbeth or Lady Macbeth reflecting their views/emotions. Remember to
use vivid imagery!
 Critique or retelling of the play from the perspective of another famous author or
celebrity
 Formal research paper on a specific aspect of Medieval English or Scottish culture
pertaining to the play (e.g. chivalry, royalty, court society, warfare, family tradition)
*Must cite at least two resources; no more than one online source
Dramatic Project
You and your group members are expected to work together on a dramatic performance of
the text. Decide which scenes in your section are the best and who will work on each scene.
I recommend groups of two to four for each scene; you may work alone on a soliloquy but
this may be quite difficult. For the most points possible, implement set pieces, costumes,
and props. I will be watching for strongly rehearsed scenes with conscious physical choices
in blocking, vocalization, and body language.
You must film this project as a modern adaptation of the scene using adapted language and
costuming. In order to complete this, you must turn in the following points with your
dramatic filming. This can be done typed on one sheet:
 Scene
 Time Period of Adaptation
 Analysis of Language Translations (WHY DID YOU CHANGE WHAT YOU DID?)
Recommended Scenes:
I.1-II.3
 The witches meet Macbeth and Banquo
 Lady Macbeth and Macbeth on killing Duncan (I.7 or 2.2)
 Duncan is found murdered
III.1-IV.1
 Lady Macbeth and Macbeth discuss Banquo
 Banquo murdered
 Macbeth haunted by the ghost in front of dinner guests
 Witches
IV.2-V.8
 Attack on Macduff’s house
 Macduff is told what happened
 Preparing for war
 Macduff fights Macbeth
While observing your performances, I will be grading you on:
 Quality of writing in your script
 Vocal clarity
 At least three specific choices in your physical performance (e.g. gestures, props,
body language)
 Demonstrate awareness of your character’s motivation in the scene (their wants
and needs). What is their objective?
 Efficiency: Is it well rehearsed? Or is your timing off, is there unnecessary “dead
space”, and do you struggle with the dialogue?